Starting in 1995, the group of Crystal Growth and Characterisation of Semiconductors "CreCYCSem" of the Applied Physics Department at the University of Valencia has focused its main activity, as its name shows, on the crystal growth of semiconductors (bulk, layers and nanostructures)  and the structural and morphological characterisation of the obtained materials. The approach to the technological sector has been made in two areas: solar energy and sensors (infrared and humidity sensors).

This activity has been mainly developed in the frame of different research projects, in the area of ​​materials for optoelectronics and spintronics. Projects that are founded by the University of  Valencia, EU, National and Regional calls,  and some private ones. The results have been presented and published in different international scientific journals, conferences, and workshops.

For the development of this research activity, a laboratory with different crystal growth techniques has been built up: Bridgman, Physical Vapor Transport, Travelling Heater Method, MOCVD, Spray Pyrolysis, Hydrothermal are some of the techniques currently available as well as different preparation techniques and post-growth treatments.

Regarding the structural and morphological characterisation, high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) are the techniques on which the work of morphological and structural characterisation is basically built.

The correlation of the grown material properties and its structural and morphological characteristics has allowed a better understanding of the growth processes. At present, much of the activity is focused on oxides of the Group II (ZnO, CdO and MgO ) and their alloys. In this framework, the group participated some time ago as leadership in the SOXESS European project and in the organisation of the Symposium K (devoted to this specific topic) in the E-MRS.

The group regularly collaborates with some national groups (GdS-Optronlab, U. Valladolid; U. Basque Country; GEO3BCN, CSIC; ISOM, UPM), and international ones (CNRS-Bellevue, France; University of Warwick, UK.) in addition to other punctual collaborations on specific subjects.

In the University of Valencia, some members of the Group are engaged in the teaching activities, in the grades of Physics and Biology as well as in the master of Advanced Physics.